Buried Secrets
by Kylie Anderson
Summary: What does a 1990 case have to do with Lilly Rush? Could Lilly now be in danger? No matter how we bury our secrets, they don't stay buried for long...
1. Chapter 1

Buried Secrets

Chapter 1

Lilly Rush was walking beside Scotty Valens as they made their way into the squad room. It was a cold Philly morning and Lilly's flushed cheeks were proof of that. Both detectives were wearing thick trench coats- another sign it was cold outside. "I hate winter." Lilly muttered as she took off her coat and set it down on the chair.

Scotty laughed. "You must love this weather then." Scotty said. "'Cause this isn't winter. This is only fall."

As Scotty said this, Lilly glanced outside. "True." Lilly said shortly. "I hate fall and winter seasons."

It was silent for a few minutes before soft footsteps were heard coming down the dark hallway. John Stillman, their boss, appeared. "What are you two doing here so early?" John asked surprised.

Lilly glanced at the clock. It read six o'clock. Six in the morning. "I had some reports to finish up, so I decided to come in early." Lilly said.

Scotty shrugged. "I didn't have any reports to do, but I couldn't sleep." Scotty admitted. "We could almost ask you the same thing boss. Why are you here two hours early?"

Sighing, John held up a file. "Someone left this on my doorstep," John said handing the file to Lilly.

Opening the file, Lilly found it was a report of a missing girl. She had beautiful blonde hair, hazel-green eyes and a large smile. "She was ten years old in 1990." Lilly said reading the file. "Went out to go get milk at a grocery store and never made it home."

As Lilly passed the file to Scotty a piece of paper fell out. John picked it up. "What is it boss?" Scotty asked immediately.

John read the paper aloud.

_Mr. Stillman, _

_This girl, Rebecca Sands, I beat, raped and murdered her in 1990. If you go past the park on 13th Street you'll find a deserted area. I buried her by the large boulder. _

_She isn't the only one. I've killed more...and I am still killing them. If anyone but the people in your squad investigate this case, I will kill your entire team. _

_Mr. Wobbles _

Lilly looked surprised by the note. "What is it Lil?" John asked noting her reaction.

"Oh…I was just wondering why someone who has been killing for so long just suddenly leave a note and why this guy wants our team to investigate the case." Lilly said clearing her throat.

Scotty handed the file back to John. "Is this going to be our next case?" Scotty asked.

John paused. "Well, we'll have to get a CSU out there to see if there is a body and if so…yes." John replied slowly.

"So when is the CSU team going out there?" Lilly asked quickly.

Rolling up his left sleeve, John glanced at his watch. "It's going to be at least another two hours." John said.

Lilly sat back down at her desk and attempted to start in on her paperwork, but found it difficult to stay focused.

((-))

Nick Vera entered five minutes before eight o'clock with Will Jeffries at his side. "You know what I don't get?" Nick asked as he pulled off his coat.

Jeffries set his coat down. "Just about everything?" Jeffries guessed with a grin.

A smile jumped on Nick's face. "Funny. No, I was going to say I don't get how you always seem to get here at the same time I do." Nick said.

Before Jeffries could make a smart comeback, Kat Miller walked in. She pulled off her scarf. "Bitter morning out there," Kat commented.

John quickly walked out of his office and explained to the others what was going on. "So we're just waiting for a call from CSU?" Nick questioned.

Scotty nodded. "Yeah, we need to confirm if this guy is telling the truth or just playing around with us." Scotty answered.

"How did he get the file?" Jeffries asked.

There was an odd silence. Lilly could have been sure everyone was thinking the same thing. George Marks. He had gotten free in a case they called _Mind Hunters_, but Lilly ended up shooting him in another case they called _The Woods_. Kat Miller was not working in homicide at the time, so Lilly was sure she didn't know George Marks. "Do you guys think this could be another case like the Marks case?" Kat asked looking around.

They all gave her a strange look. "How do you know about George Marks?" Nick asked swiftly.

"It was all anyone in the department every talked about for months. We heard a lot of rumors and saw the newspapers…In the end, someone read the file and told us what really happened. Everyone was very pleased of how this squad handled the case. For the longest time, people were trying to transfer into here." Kat admitted. "You guys were the big heroes."

John seemed to be digesting the fact that their case had been the talk of the coffee room for quite some time. "Does anyone know whose working in the records room?" Jeffries asked. "Just to be safe,"

No one answered.

((-))

A slim woman with blonde hair and blue eyes was sitting in Stillman's office. John, Scotty, Lilly, Kat, Jeffries and Nick were all watching her carefully. "So, Diane, you've been working in the records room for a few months now, isn't that right?" John asked cautiously.

Diane nodded with a smile. "Yes sir, that is correct." Diane said tucking a lose strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm sure you've heard about what happened to the last guy in the job." Scotty said as more of a statement.

"Oh yes." Diane said shortly.

Nick sighed. "Now Diane, you know what it's like living on this salary…we don't get paid a lot. Maybe somebody slipped you a few bucks to give them a file…" Nick said choosing his words carefully.

Diane gasped and stood up. "How could you accuse me of such a horrific crime? I am an honorable person simply working in the record room until I get my degree in advanced chemistry!" Diane said horrified.

"Did you ever see anyone get into the records…?" Kat prompted.

Diane sat back down and thought for a minute. "You know, there was an incident a few months back. This guy comes in and shows me a badge. He asks to see a record. Now, he looked a little shady, so I called upstairs for some assistance. The jerk hit me and then ran off. Naturally I filed my report, but it didn't seem like much." Diane admitted.

"Did he leave with a file?" Jeffries asked.

Diane shook her head. "No. The police ended up catching him down the road. It turns out he was just trying to get a file that implicated him in a murder or something like that." Diane said. "I don't know all the details."

"Thank you." Lilly said shaking Diane's hand.

((-))

Nick sighed. "This whole thing doesn't feel right. It feels like a hoax." Nick noted.

John's phone rang. He quickly picked it up and then hung it up. "That was CSU. They found a skeleton of a young girl. They don't have much, but the ME thinks she died in 1990 and she's probably ten years old." John informed them.

Lilly took a deep breath. "I guess it wasn't hoax." Lilly said slowly.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Pulling the scarf closer to her body, Lilly knew the chills going down her spine weren't all due to the bitter cold. There was something so…familiar about this crime… Looking down into the shallow hole, Lilly wondered. "Lil?" Scotty asked from beside her.

Lilly turned to him and pulled her eyes off of the skeleton. "Yeah?" Lilly responded.

"Boss asked you a question." Scotty informed her.

Knowing she was caught in her thoughts, Lilly looked over at Nick, Kat, Jeffries and John. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Lilly admitted.

John sighed. "I thought I saw a paper by the skeleton. It looked nearest you." John told her. "Can you see a piece of paper?"

Lilly scanned over the area she could see. Her eyes settled on a white piece of paper. "Yeah," Lilly said nodding.

The man inside the shallow grave moved towards where Lilly was pointing. He picked up the paper with his gloved hands and handed it to Lilly whose hands were also gloved. "Do we know anything else about this girl?" Kat asked the man wearing an ME jacket.

"When we came here, this grave looked as if it was dug out recently. It doesn't fit because this girl died in 1990." The male ME informed them.

"Maybe the guy visited the grave recently and put that paper in it. That paper is white…it wasn't from 1990." Nick observed.

Jeffries noticed Lilly had been reading the note. "What does it say?" Jeffries asked.

Lilly looked up at him before reading it aloud.

_Congratulations! You were smart enough to listen to me and check out Rebecca. She was a sweet little girl, but as you know, all things must die eventually. _

_Do you recall saying there were others? Well, I've decided to play a little treasure hunt with you. With each body you find, there will be a note leading you to the next body. Sounds fun, doesn't it? _

_Now don't forget, I only want you're detectives on this case. It would be such a shame to see them die just because they couldn't do their job. _

_Did I mention out of all these girls, there was only one that fought back? There was only one that got away… If you find her, you can save her before I finish her off. _

_Have a wonderful day! _

_Mr. Wobbles _

_P.S- Go past Frank's Diner and there's a dump. I buried her by the small security building. _

Lilly appeared to be sick. She turned very pale. "You okay Lil?" Nick questioned noticing how sickly she looked.

"Y…yeah…It's just…this is a pretty horrible case." Lilly said looking at the ground and not making eye contact with them.

John sighed. "I guess we're going to the dump." John said pulling his coat a little tighter to his body.

((-))

Right near the security building, there was another shallow grave. There was a note, just as the killer promised.

_Hello, meet Lynn Bell. She was killed in 1988 when she was ten years old. She had such pretty blonde hair and the biggest green eyes. Too bad her brother sent her out late at night to get bread. She never made it home. _

_Go to the park on 9th street and there's a huge oak tree. You'll find another girl there. _

_Mr. Wobbles _

The group exchanged looks before getting into their cars.

((-))

_Say hi to my dear friend, Jemma Trills. She died in 1979 when she was ten. She had the nicest hair…it was so blonde and beautiful. Her eyes were hazel. She didn't put up much of a fight…oh well!_

_Go to the river bank by Lucy's Bakery. _

_Mr. Wobbles _

((-))

There was a large amount of fear. They were all sick of seeing so many children…so many little girls…dead. "How many more are there going to be?" Kat asked as the back-hoe dug into the fresh earth.

John felt his breakfast come up as he saw another skeleton. When was this going to end?

_This is perhaps my most special victim, except for the one that got away. This is Emily Button who was brutally murdered in 1978. She was my first victim. I saw her with her golden hair…she was so stunning for a girl ten years old. I spent the longest time with her because I had never killed before…I had never felt the breath of a human being stop. _

_Ah, there are so many more girls, but I think this is enough for today. It's probably dark by the time you read this, but I do have one more surprise for you. _

_Please go back to your squad room and I will contact you when I want you to view my other victims. _

_Mr. Wobbles_

Scotty sighed. "Why do I get the feeling we're not going to like this surprise?" Scotty asked bagging the note in an evidence bag.

"This guy is sick." Nick said hardly.

The others nodded in agreement.

((-))

Upon walking into the squad room, John stopped in his tracks. The others did the same. What they saw shocked them. They would never forget the image that stopped their hearts…if only for a second.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The squad room was empty of people. On the windows were pictures of Lilly as a young child. They appeared to have been taken candidly. There were other pictures of Lilly as an adult as well. Overall, it seemed like there were at least a hundred pictures plastered across the large windows.

On a nearby wall were the words- THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY –written in spray paint. Lilly slowly walked to her desk where her answering machine was blinking. She played the message. "Lillian Rush, 1986, late night…You remember. I know you remember. Do you still have nightmares about it Lillian? Are you still afraid of me? I can't forget you. You fought so hard little Lillian, but I overpowered you. Sweetie, I would have killed you, but you are so lucky that the man ran up and fought me off of you. You would be dead. You have no idea how you've screwed everything up for me! So, I'm just coming to finish what I started." A booming voice taunted. "If you don't believe me, check the first drawer in your desk."

It was over quicker than it started. Lilly made a move to open her desk, but Nick stopped her. "We don't know what's in there. It could be a bomb." Nick warned her.

Lilly pushed his hand away and opened the drawer to find a clear small, snack Ziplock plastic bag. She opened it and a necklace fell into her hand. Lilly closed the small necklace in her hand before sliding to the floor in tears.

John, Kat, Jeffries and Nick all moved closer to her, but it was Scotty who kneeled next to her. "Lil, what is it?" Scotty asked worriedly.

Lilly merely shook her head. "Lilly, come on, talk to us." John said calmly.

Shakily, Lilly handed Scotty the necklace. It was a small piece of string with several beads with letters strung on it. The letter spelt 'Lillian'. "What's so important about this necklace?" Jeffries asked as Scotty handed it to him

Drying her eyes, Lilly knew she had to tell them. Heck, they already knew because of George Marks, but they didn't know the details. "I…I…I went out to go get some alcohol for my mother on June 4th, 1986 at around midnight. I was ten years old. As I was approaching the store, this guy came out of nowhere and demanded my money. I gave him everything I had…" Lilly said pausing trying to keep her voice from shaking. "But that wasn't enough…He grabbed me and I clawed at him. I screamed, but nothing stopped him from taking off my pants…"

It was completely silent except for Lilly's sobs. "He…he raped me. I kept screaming and that just made him angrier. He tried to shut me up by strangling me and that's when my necklace was ripped off. Everything was going dark and I knew I was going to die and I was almost happy it was all going to end. Luckily, someone heard my screams and fought the guy off. The man who saved my life was a police officer named Gregory Wells. He stayed with me until the police came, but they couldn't get my statement because I had a fractured jaw and five broken teeth. The police took me to the hospital and then sent me home. It was nine in the morning by the time they did and you know what my mother asked? She asked me where her drink was. I told her what happened and she only got angrier. I didn't eat for three days and I was locked in my room all because I didn't her anything to drink." Lilly said crying harder.

Kat looked at Lilly sadly. "Why don't I drive you home Lilly?" Kat offered.

Lilly shook her head and stood up. She attempted to dry her tears. "No, I'm okay." Lilly said quietly.

John looked around. He was trying to find a way to gracefully change the subject. He didn't want to embarrass Lilly anymore than necessary. "What I want to know is how this person got into the squad room to put all this stuff up." John said looking slightly angry.

"We should probably get Gregory Wells in here to see what he remembers." Nick suggested as well.

Everyone was suggesting ideas and it was soon obvious to Lilly they were trying to spare her any more awkwardness. "I talked to a sketch artist as did Gregory." Lilly said speaking up above all the other voices.

It suddenly became silent again. "That's good. We can get that file…" Jeffries began.

Lilly opened her desk and pulled out a file handing it to Jeffries. "I don't mean to sound rude, but you keep your file in your desk?" Kat asked slightly surprised.

"It's a copy and yes, I do. Sometimes, as much as we want to forget, we have to remember." Lilly said gently.

_And right now, all I want to do is forget…forget everything…forget all those girls…what happened to me…everything. _Lilly thought bitterly.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A man with gray hair and a large smile walked into John's office. John was sitting behind his desk and the man saw down in front of him. Lilly was standing behind the man. "It's been twenty years since I've been in a precinct Mr. Stillman." The man informed him with a smile.

John smiled back. "Please, call me John." John requested. "Gregory Wells, correct?"

Gregory nodded extending his hand. John shook it firmly. "On the phone you mentioned something about a little girl?" Gregory asked looking slightly curious.

"Yes, it's about this girl here." John said as he slid a picture of ten year old Lilly across the desk.

Looking at the photo, Gregory sighed. "Lilly Rush…" Gregory muttered.

John nodded. "Can you tell me about that night?" John asked.

"Let's see, I'm sixty now and I quit twenty years ago…so that means I was forty at the time. I was walking home from a very, very late beat. It was about midnight when I heard a scream. I rushed to where I heard the scream and saw a man raping a ten year old girl. Naturally, I got him off of her and attempted to keep him from fleeing, but he did get away. I turned to look at the young girl and I wanted to kill that man. She was just so broken. To make matters worse, the poor girl didn't have a good mother. I turned in my badge the next day. I figured, if I can't help all the little Lilly Rush's in the world, I can't do a damn thing." Gregory explained his voice filled with emotion.

"Is there anything you can tell me about the man?" John questioned.

Gregory thought for a minute. "Hmm…male, Caucasian…Sorry, I didn't get a good look." Gregory said quietly. "Wait…why are you asking me about this? Did something happen to Lilly? If it did, I'm going to kill…"

"No, nothing happened to me." Lilly said speaking up for the first time.

Gregory rose and turned to face Lilly. "My goodness! You've grown up so much!" Gregory said examining Lilly. "And you're a detective I see!"

Lilly nodded. "I've been working cold case for years." Lilly informed him.

"Good for you." Gregory said with a smile. "I'm glad everything turned out okay for you my dear."

((-))

Nick was watching a rather small man carefully. Jeffries approached him with Nick by his side. "Hey Frankie," Jeffries greeted.

The small man stood up slightly straighter and fixed his uniform. "Yes sir?" Frankie questioned clearing his throat.

"You're one of the security guards here at Philadelphia Police Station, correct?" Nick asked.

Frankie bobbed his head smiling. "Yeah Nick! You know that! You see me everyday!" Frankie said grinning.

His grin slowly faded when he saw the seriousness on Nick and Jeffries faces. "Frankie, someone got into our squad room. Now we figure, somebody gotta have seen him, right?" Nick questioned looking at Frankie harshly.

"Hey, people can only get up there with an automatic ID card. If they still look a little fishy, I ask for a badge." Frankie said putting up his hands in defense.

Jeffries shrugged. "So did you let anyone in that looked a little odd today?" Jeffries asked.

Frankie sighed. "Yeah. This one guy…he didn't look like one of you. He had jeans on and a messy shirt. I told him that, he laughed and said undercover work could be messy. I asked him for a badge and sure enough, he flashed me a Philly badge. He had the automatic ID card and everything, so I let him in." Frankie admitted shifting his weight worriedly. "I swear I didn't know he was nothin' but a cop!"

Nick and Jeffries shook their heads before walking away.

((-))

Scotty looked frustrated as Lilly, John, Nick, Jeffries and Kat all exchanged information. "So this guy's got a badge and an automatic ID card?" Scotty questioned agitated.

"Maybe he stole it off of someone." Nick offered.

Putting her hand on her head, Kat shook her head. "You know, this is just a thought, but maybe this guy is a police officer." Kat suggested.

Jeffries shook his head. "No. A police officer would be so…" Jeffries said struggling for the right word.

"Crazy? Crooked? Heartless?" Scotty suggested angrily.

There was a silence. "Why don't we check the ID log and see who came in here while we were gone?" Lilly asked quietly.

Kat nodded. "I'm on it." Kat said quickly disappearing out of the room.

It was very quiet. Could a fellow police officer be a killer?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A shrilling phone interrupted everyone's dreary thoughts. Lilly glanced over at her desk to see it was her phone that was ringing. She quickly moved over to it and picked it up. "Rush," Lilly answered.

"Little Lillian, how are we? You better put this call on speaker." A raspy voice said with tiny hint of excitement.

For a second, Lilly was thinking of just hanging up the phone, but then she realized it could be important. She sighed as she put the call on speaker and placed the phone back in its cradle. "What do you want?" Lilly demanded.

There was an odd laugh. "Little Lillian, isn't it simple? I want you!" The raspy voice replied. "I want the one that got away…"

Lilly seemed to be at a loss for words, but Scotty, on the other hand, had so much he wanted to say. "How many others are there?" Scotty asked angrily.

There was a moment of silence before the voice let out another small chuckle. "Scotty Valens…Lillian's devoted partner and loyal friend…Tell me, why didn't you go into that house when George Marks was holding her hostage? Why was it Stillman? Didn't you care about little Lillian?" The voice taunted.

Scotty's reaction was one of anger. He looked as if he wanted to kill the man on the other end. He opened his mouth to say something, but Lilly beat him to it. "Come on, that was a long time ago. It has nothing to do with what you're doing." Lilly said trying to keep him focused.

"Lillian, why do you still cry at night? Every night I watch you and you always cry… You're always so alone. You had a nice man in your life, but what is it? You've got trust issues? Lillian, you've got to trust someone sometime. You can't just push everyone away." The voice said slightly sympathetically.

John decided that this personal attack on Lilly was going to stop at that moment. "You're watching her?" John asked in a booming voice. "Why?"

The voice sighed. "It's always bothered me how such a sweet girl got away. She ended up going right back to her horrible mother. I was trying to save her. Lillian would have been in a better place if I had killed her." The voice said. "Now, I'm just trying to stop her pain."

"You think of yourself as what? A vigilante?" Nick asked.

"No, I'm a guardian angel." The voice answered with a slight hint of a smile.

Jeffries looked surprised. "So how do you know which girls to…save?" Jeffries asked.

"I watch them. I only pick girls ten years old with green or hazel eyes and blonde hair. When I watch them, if I see their parents beating them up or abusing them, I wait until they leave alone to a store in the middle of the night. Then I beat them, rape them and kill them." The voice said getting slightly excited.

John took a deep breath. "How many girls did you 'save'?" John questioned.

"It's so hard to keep track…I know I must have saved over thirty…maybe more than forty." The voice said happily.

Kat shook her head. Something was wrong. "You're lying." Kat said holding a file she had left for a while ago.

The voice laughed. "Kat Miller, caught my bluff, huh?" The voice questioned.

Kat nodded. "Yeah, yeah I did. You don't think you're saving these girls. You know what you're doing." Kat answered.

"Should I ever get caught, it makes a great defense." The voice said laughing. "'Judge, please don't give me life in prison, I didn't know what I was doing…I thought I was saving them!' It sounds pretty convincing to me."

Kat opened the file. "What happened to Detective James Stings?" Kat questioned. "You used his badge and ID card to get into our squad room."

"Very good! Very good! I was hoping someone would bring that up! You need not worry about Mr. Strings. He is currently floating down the river with a bullet in his head." The voice said.

Nick rubbed his hands over his eyes. He was tired of this manic. "Why did you choose the name 'Mr. Wobbles'?" Nick questioned.

The voice sucked in air in surprised. "Naughty Lillian! You didn't tell them?" The voice asked oddly.

Lilly looked up at the rest of them. "Mr. Wobbles was the name of a teddy bear I had as a kid, but I didn't think it had anything to do with…" Lilly began.

"It did! Lillian, think! Use your brain! This is not the time to be quiet and modest! I'm playing a game here and you'd be wise to play along as well!" The voice said getting angrier.

Lilly looked slightly upset. "Why should I play along if you're going to kill me? What's the point if I can't win?" Lilly asked.

"The point is you can't give up! You don't know who is going to win, but you've got to fight!" The voice shouted. "The next body will be at 87 Oak Street. Goodbye Lillian."

The line went dead, but they could still hear the anger in the man's voice.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Lilly closed her eyes. Why did this all have to start again? Couldn't she just forget it all? "He calls you Lillian." Scotty noticed.

Opening her eyes, Lilly saw everyone was watching her. "Oh…yeah…when I was a kid, everyone called me 'Lillian' even though I told them to call me 'Lilly'." Lilly replied weakly looking outside.

It was so dark outside. Lilly looked at the clock. It was already ten o'clock at night. Didn't she get here at six in the morning? Did she really work for sixteen hours? John must have been reading his mind because he stood up a little straighter. "Why don't we call it a night?" John asked gently.

Nick nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me," Nick said starting to get his coat.

Kat glanced over at Lilly who couldn't look more worried. "You know Lilly, I have a spare bed at my place. If you want, you can spend the night there." Kat offered. "'Cause I'm sure you wouldn't want to spend the night in a dirty apartment maintained by these guys."

Lilly shook her head. "I've got to go home. My sister…" Lilly began before fading off. "Do you think Christina's in danger?"

Jeffries sighed. "It might be a good idea to spend the night somewhere else." Jeffries suggested.

Grabbing her coat, Lilly walked out of the squad room quickly muttering 'goodnight'.

((-))

Opening the door, Lilly first saw her cats rush up to her purring. She then noticed Christina sleeping peacefully on her couch. She let out a sigh of relief before turning into her bedroom. There, Lilly collapsed on her bed without even changing her clothes.

Once she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep sleep.

((-))

"_Lillian…Lillian…" A voice called softly. _

_Lilly ran away from the voice. She was terrified of it, but she couldn't see where she was going. It was pitch black. "Lillian! Lillian!" The voice called again, but this time it sounded closer. _

"_Lillian! Lillian!" The voice repeated louder and faster. "Lillian! Lillian! Lillian!" _

_The more Lilly ran, the more she realized it was useless. "Come and play a game with me Lillian!" The voice shouted happily. _

_Run…run…run…Faster! Faster! Run! Run! Faster! Faster! Lilly stopped panting. She couldn't run anymore. The voice kept getting closer. She couldn't move. She saw his face…_

"Lilly!" A voice shouted shaking her.

Lilly snapped open her eyes. She saw Christina looking down at her. "Man, you like sleep like a rock. Anyway, it's like seven and you have to go to work at eight." Christina said quickly. "I just thought you might not want to get fired."

Rubbing her eyes, Lilly felt the fear of her dream slowly melting away. "Oh…thanks Christina." Lilly said trying to wake herself up more.

Christina bounced out of the room and it took Lilly five minutes to get out of bed. She was so tired…and scared.

((-))

Lilly cursed herself for not setting her alarm clock. She had ten minutes to get downtown and traffic would definitely be too slow. Grabbing her coat, Lilly raced out of her house and began to quickly run to the nearest subway.

((-))

Twenty minutes later, Lilly arrived in the squad room. She was ten minutes late and she was almost positive Stillman would be quite angry. Instead, when she walked in, he rushed up to her. "Thank goodness you're alright!" John exclaimed.

"Sorry boss. I woke up late and then I couldn't get here…" Lilly began muttering.

John smiled at her. "I guess we were all over worried with everything going on…" John said gently.

Lilly realized what he meant. "Oh…" Lilly said softly before setting her coat down.

There was a slam of a phone that caused Lilly to snap her head up. "That was the CSU team. They found another body right where 'Mr. Wobbles' said it would be when he called." Scotty said raising his voice.

"Did they find another note?" Nick asked frowning.

Scotty nodded. "It just said who the vic was and where to find the next body." Scotty said shortly.

"Do they want us to meet them at the next body?" Jeffries questioned.

Scotty sighed. "Nah…they said there are too many bodies and it would just be a waste of our time." Scotty replied.

Kat rubbed her forehead as if trying to rub away a headache. "This is probably Philly's worst serial killer." Kat said quietly.

"What I want to know is why no one noticed this was a serial killer." Nick said.

John shrugged. "The police probably didn't make the connection. There were a bunch of ten year old girls that disappeared, but they happened during different years and to different families. The families probably didn't know each other and so it doesn't seem like a connection to the police." John offered.

Lilly couldn't help but think that if the police had made the connection, a lot of girls would still be alive…and maybe she wouldn't have become a victim herself.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hours later, Lilly looked over at Scotty who was answering the phone calls from the CSU. The CSU was desperately trying to collect evidence while the ME was dragging out the skeleton of another young girl. This process seemed to be a never-ending one. "How many bodies are we up to now?" Lilly asked quietly.

Scotty looked at her sadly. "Fifteen or sixteen the last time I checked…" Scotty answered.

As if on cue, the phone rang again. Scotty seemed hesitant to answer it. "Maybe seventeen now," Scotty said grimly before answering the phone.

((-))

"No fingerprints, no DNA, no fibers, nothing!" Scotty announced frustrated.

It suddenly became quiet in the squad room. "What are you talking about Scotty?" Nick asked.

Scotty sighed. "The CSU has been though every single grave and every single letter and they have no evidence." Scotty said.

"What's the body count now?" Jeffries asked.

Scotty looked down at a piece of paper. "Twenty nine," Scotty said bitterly. "Twenty nine little girls…"

"Maybe CSU will find something with the next girl." John suggested quietly.

"We better hope so." Scotty replied darkly.

((-))

It was four o'clock before the phone call came in. Scotty was ready to answer it as he had been doing all day. After a few minutes, Scotty put down the phone gently. "Thirty six," Scotty said quietly.

Kat looked confused. "What are you talking about?" Kat asked.

"Thirty six victims," Scotty answered. "Someone's bringing in all the letters and case files."

Jeffries also looked puzzled. "How do we know there aren't more victims?" Jeffries asked.

Scotty shrugged before the room fell into silence once again.

((-))

A slim man placed two large boxes on Nick's desk. He had mouse brown hair and tiny eyes that were almost invisible under his thick glasses. He appeared to have been in his forties. "These are the case files on all thirty six girls." The man announced before pulling out a large clasp envelope. "The letters are in here. Please don't take them out of the evidence bags." He pulled out a thick manila folder. "These are the ME reports and evidence reports from the graves."

"Did you get any evidence?" Kat asked.

The man shook his head. "Nothing," The man answered.

"Thanks," Nick said as the man left swiftly.

Lilly opened the manila folder and found the letter that was placed with the last body. She began to read it out loud.

_Alas this is Sandra Dayringer. She went missing on November 1, 2006 and was killed the same night. She is my latest victim and still has the flesh on her bones to prove it. _

_Now, I am getting very weary of killing and I almost was not able to kill Sandra here. I guess that's due to the fact I'm getting older. Sandra is my last ten year old victim. I'm going into retirement now. _

_However, before I go into retirement, I would like kill Lillian Rush. She would be my final victim. I really don't like the idea of killing an older woman (no offense Lillian). I mean, they're much too feisty. _

_Anyway, I just thought I would let you know you're treasure hunt is over with. _

_A dear, yet deadly, friend _

"He didn't use the name 'Mr. Wobbles'." Kat observed.

John nodded. "It was probably because he just wanted to put on a show for Lilly. Once he realized she got it, he stopped using the name 'Mr. Wobbles'." John said.

Scotty glanced over at Lilly who seemed to be just standing there. "Lil, I think it'd be a good idea if you went into a safe house." Scotty suggested gently.

Jeffries nodded as did Nick. "This guy sounds pretty serious about killing you." Nick said.

Lilly looked up at Scotty. "I don't think a safe house is really necessary…" Lilly began.

John cleared his throat. "Lil, this is necessary. We absolutely must do this." John said calmly.

There was a part of Lilly that wanted to fight. She wanted to tell them she hated being watched over. She wanted to say she was going to stay at home. She wanted to tell them to leave her alone. However, she was so tired…she was tired of fighting. It was easier to give in. Lilly shrugged. "Alright," Lilly said shortly.

Surprised by her lack of fighting, Scotty and John exchanged worried glances. "Do you need to get some of your things?" Nick questioned softly.

Lilly nodded. "Yeah," Lilly answered.

"I'll go with you." Scotty offered.

John nodded. "I'll set up the safe house and call you with the location." John said speaking firmly to Scotty.

_Alright. _Lilly thought bitterly. _We'll just move to the safe house and I still won't be any safer._


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Sitting in Scotty's car, Lilly oddly felt like an outsider. She couldn't bring herself to say anything, so she remained silent. Looking outside, she saw snow was starting to fall. It was the first snow of the season and two little girls were bundled up in their coats laughing with rosy cheeks. Lilly couldn't help but think about those girls. Could they be the next victim of a serial killer? Or the victim of another horrible crime?

Scotty was alarmed by Lilly's silence. She was hardly the person to stay silent for long periods of time. "You okay Lil?" Scotty questioned glancing over at her before turning his eyes back to the road.

Slowly, Lilly turned her head towards Scotty. There were tears in her eyes. "I…I don't know." Lilly stuttered.

_Perhaps the silence was better._ Scotty thought wondering how to handle the situation. "You don't know how you are?" Scotty asked surprised.

Lilly shrugged. "I…I don't know how to feel. I'm upset, scared, worried, tired…" Lilly choked trying to find the right words. "I guess I'm just confused."

_What do you say? How do you respond to that? _Scotty thought. "Well Lil, we're all here for you no matter what you're feeling." Scotty said gently.

"Do you ever wonder why?" Lilly questioned.

Scotty stole a look at her before looking back at the road. "What do you mean?" Scotty asked puzzled.

"Do you ever wonder why some people do such horrible things to innocent people?" Lilly rephrased.

_So you basically mean, why are some people monsters? _Scotty thought before sighing. "Lil, some people are just monsters. Some people just do stuff because they can." Scotty said shaking his head. "My brother was molested by his coach."

Lilly made a small gasp. "Oh Scotty! I'm so sorry. I never knew." Lilly said gently.

Scotty shrugged. "He was messed up after that…I mean, that coach…he was someone we trusted…and he did that." Scotty said with slight anger.

"How is he doing now?" Lilly asked worriedly.

"He's depressed, but he's got a wife and a son." Scotty said before adding silently '_and me_'.

Lilly nodded. "That's good he has support." Lilly responded.

Scotty let out a small sigh. "To answer your question Lil, there is no answer. People just do terrible stuff and they have no reason." Scotty said quietly.

Then everything was silent again. For once, the silence had never sounded better.

((-))

Upon arriving at the safe house, Lilly walked through the door to have Nick, John, Jeffries and Kat surround her. "Did everything go alright?" Kat asked breathlessly.

Scotty nodded. "Yes," Scotty answered.

Lilly tried to smile. "I hope you're all not going to be staying here." Lilly attempted to joke.

John knew she was trying to joke, so he smiled. "No, we'll take shifts. There will always be two policemen posted at the door and patrol cars will pass by here every half-hour." John replied.

"What are the shifts?" Scotty questioned.

"We'll take a shift every night." Nick answered. "Tonight's my night."

There were a few more instructions and goodbyes before everyone else left the house leaving only Lilly and Nick standing in the house. The two policemen stood firmly in their spot by the door. "Do you have all of your things?" Nick questioned.

Lilly glanced down at her small book bag. "Yeah," Lilly said quietly.

Nick showed her down the hall sensing Lilly didn't care to talk. "This is your bedroom." Nick said flipping on the light. "Bathroom's right over there."

Lilly smiled and nodded. "Thank you." Lilly said gently.

Nick nodded before leaving down the hall into his bedroom. Lilly walked into the small room and closed the door behind her. She silently changed into her night clothes before turning off the light and falling asleep.

((-))

In the morning, Lilly immediately dressed and brushed her hair. She quickly walked out of her bedroom and was about to walk out the front door when a voice stopped her. "Trying to escape?" The voice asked.

Lilly turned and saw Nick tightening his tie. "No, I'm going to work." Lilly said firmly.

"Sorry, but you have to come with me." Nick said shrugging. "Boss made up the rules."

"Oh…I didn't know." Lilly said honestly.

True, she didn't know, but she suspected John would do something like that. She loved her co-workers, but having to spend the night with them and go to work with them was a little much. "It's okay." Nick said with a smile. "I'm ready to go."

Without a choice, Lilly followed Nick to his car and entered.

((-))

When they arrived at work, Lilly sat down at her desk. She was tired which was odd. She slept for a long time the night before. "How did the first night go?" John questioned as soon as they walked in the door.

Nick smiled. "She's still alive, isn't she?" Nick joked.

Lilly smiled back as did John. "Poor you…having to spend a night with him. Luckily, tonight's my night." Scotty said trying to lighten the mood as well.

Kat snorted. "Luckily? She has to put up with all you guys! Tomorrow will be much better since it's my night." Kat said with a smile.

Jeffries laughed as did John. They might as well joke as they could for the day was sure to get gloomier.

((-))

With no new leads, Lilly felt so frustrated…and scared. What if they could never find this guy? What if he killed her? Why couldn't they find any physical evidence? The end of another day meant another night in the safe house. She was so tired after the long day. To top it off, Lilly hated being in the safe house. Everything was so confusing and frustrating. _Why did this ever happen?_ Lilly wondered.

((-))

Scotty wished Lilly a goodnight before leaving her in front of her bedroom door. She returned the departing words. Lilly walked into the bedroom and didn't even bother changing her clothes. She simply fell asleep on the bed as she had done several times in the last few weeks.

((-))

As Scotty was getting into his bed, he heard two distinct gunshots. Then there was a sound he would never forget. It was bone-chilling scream.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Quicker than lightening, Scotty bolted up and out of his bed. He found his gun in the dresser next to him. Making sure it was loaded, Scotty raced out into hall. There was a sinking feeling in his stomach. He hadn't had such a feeling for a long time…that time was when Lilly was held hostage in George Marks's old house.

Scotty saw Lilly's door was open and proceeded inside the room with his gun in front of him. He flipped on the light and found it was empty. Stunned, he raced out into the hall again. He quickly made his way to the front door where the two policemen were stationed.

It was Scotty's worst nightmare when he finally arrived at the front door. He barely noticed the two police officers lying on the floor in a pool of blood. All he could see was Lilly, still dressed in the same clothes she was wearing the day before, and the man holding the gun to her head. Before Scotty could even shot a round at the man, he heard a gunshot before falling to the ground in pain.

It was more pain than Scotty had ever been in before. His blood was mixing with the other police officers. He looked down to see his lower stomach had a small entrance wound. When Scotty looked up, he saw the fear in Lilly's eyes. It was something he would never forget. Then she and the man were gone.

Scotty looked over at the two other police officers. They were dead and their eyes still open. _That's going to be me! _Scotty thought fearfully and felt himself start to panic. _Don't panic. That's the first rule. _Scotty thought again trying to calm himself. _You need to stop the bleeding and call for help. _

Pressing one hand on his wound, Scotty used his other hand to grab a radio from one of the police officer's belt. "Detective Valens…I've got three officers down. Repeat, three officers down. I've been shot and the other two…I think they're dead. And we have another officer kidnapped…" Scotty muttered into the radio forgetting everything about police codes and then gave his location.

The pain just kept getting worse. It was so terrible; Scotty didn't even hear the radio response. "Copy that. We're sending over back-up and medical assistance." A female said calmly.

Scotty let go of the radio and closed his eyes. Why did everything have to go so wrong? Everything!

((-))

There was a shrill sound of a telephone ring. John rolled over and glanced at his alarm clock. It read two in the morning. He groaned before slowly answering the phone. "Hello?" John grumbled.

"Boss, it's me Nick. I just heard on the police scanner that our safe house is the location of a crime." Nick said swiftly.

John sat up straight and turned on the light nearest his bed. He didn't even have time to think about why Nick was listening to the police scanner at two in the morning. "What kind of crime?" John asked quickly putting his glasses on.

Nick's voice sounded hoarse. "There were three officers down and one officer kidnapping last I heard." Nick said quietly.

"Do we know anything?" John asked.

"No, but I'm headed over to the house now." Nick said.

John nodded to no one. "Alright. I'll be right over. Did you call Jeffries or Kat?" John said standing up now.

"No," Nick answered. "But I'll call right now."

There was suddenly a click before a long silence. Nick already hung up.

((-))

Voices. They were everywhere. Sirens were blaring and it was giving Scotty a headache. All he wanted was silence… He couldn't make out all the words the strange voices were saying. He wanted to open his eyes, but he didn't have the strength. "…Two dead…This one…fading…Hospital…fast!" The fragmented voices muttered.

Strong, thick hands lifted him up and set him on a soft surface. Scotty's mind didn't even register that it was a gurney leading him to an ambulance. All he knew was that it was so, so soft… "Scotty Valens…" A voice said from above reading his drivers license.

"Where is he?" A familiar voice demanded. "Scotty!"

Scotty's eyes fluttered. The voice sounded oddly like John's. "Scotty! What happened?" The voice asked worriedly.

For a minute, Scotty opened his eyes to see his boss's worried face. "Lilly…" Scotty mumbled before his world went black.

((-))

Jeffries, Kat and Nick were standing near the door of the safe house. They could see the blood on the floor, but they were looking towards the ambulance carrying Scotty away. Would their friend live to see another day? Terrible thoughts ran through their heads.

John quickly moved away from the ambulance allowing it to roar out of the driveway. Scotty's last word scared him… _Lilly_. He didn't even notice he was standing beside Kat, Nick and Jeffries until he heard Nick clear his throat. "What happened?" John demanded at once.

Nick shrugged. "Details are sketchy, but so far we think that the man entered the house with a gun. He shot Officer Dan Wilson and Officer Travis Marcus before they could even reach their guns. He must have found Lilly's room and grabbed her. At that time we think Scotty came out with his gun, but was shot." Nick said repeating what the first officer on the scene had told him.

It took John a moment to register what Nick had said. "We had this place secure. What went wrong?" John asked quietly.

Kat sighed. "The person knew exactly where to find Lilly." Kat said. "This is a safe house…only police officers have access to that information."

Closing his eyes, John attempted to calm himself. Scotty didn't deserve to be shot. Lilly didn't deserve to be kidnapped. How could such horrible things happen to such wonderful people?


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

There was darkness and it was everywhere. Lilly looked around frantically, but only saw darkness. She was bunched like a ball and when she tried to stretch her feet, they could not move. The air was hot and moist. _What happened?_ Lilly questioned in silence. _Where am I? _

Lilly felt a jolt beneath her and realized that she was moving. She was moving like in the trunk of a car! It was already getting harder to breathe. How long would she live? Panic rose in her chest. She remembered blacking out after looking into Scotty's eyes and she realized it was then that the man put her in the trunk.

She took a deep breath and then closed her eyes before letting it out. This somehow calmed her a bit. The car moved at a steady rhythm and gently rocked Lilly into a tender sleep…

((-))

Pain. It was the first thing Scotty became aware of. There was pain everywhere in his body. He groaned groggily. His eyes felt so heavy, it was a feat to open them. "Scotty?" A voice called gently.

It took Scotty a while to get adjusted to the white lights. He focused his eyesight on the figure sitting near the bed. "Boss?" Scotty questioned unsure of who it was.

John smiled. Scotty was alive… at least one of his detectives was. Thinking that way, John's smile faded. "How do you feel Scotty?" John asked softly.

Scotty blinked before being fully able to see. "Like I was shot," Scotty replied tiredly.

John's full toothed smile returned. "What happened?" Scotty asked confused.

"I was hoping you could tell me." John said quietly.

Scotty told John exactly what happened in the safe house. "I don't remember anything after the ambulance." Scotty explained.

John sighed. "You were in surgery for four hours. It's been another two hours before you finally woke up." John said.

Questions raced around in Scotty's mind. Had they found Lilly yet? Was she okay? Had it really been six hours? "Lilly?" Scotty muttered.

It broke John's heart. He didn't want to tell Scotty the truth, but he knew he had to. "We haven't found her yet." John said sadly. "All of Philly's finest are on it…"

_Would that be enough to find a woman held by a crazed man?_ Scotty thought before falling into darkness again.

((-))

Pacing around in a cold basement, a man appeared worried. _It's been six hours and she hasn't woken up yet! Have I unknowingly killed her? That can't be! I wanted to play with little Lillian! She can't be dead! _The man thought frustrated glancing down at the woman before him.

He wanted to kill her and feel her breath leave her body! He wanted to see the fear in her eyes! It wasn't fair… Angrily, he kicked Lilly. "Wake up!" The man shouted. "Wake up!"

Fluttering her eyes, Lilly finally opened them. She had a confused look on her face. "Finally!" The man shouted in excitement and relief.

At last, there was a flash of fear in her eyes as Lilly realized once again what kind of situation she was in.

((-))

Noting that Scotty was sound asleep again, John silently left the room closing the door behind him. "How is he?" Kat asked worriedly walking up to John.

"You stayed here?" John asked surprised.

Kat shook her head. "No, but seeing as you failed to call, Nick, Will and I were worried so…I came down here." Kat said quickly. "So, how is he?"

John shrugged. "He'll be fine. He was in surgery for quite a while, but everything went well." John said. "Are you having in luck finding Lilly?"

Kat sighed. "No…we're getting so desperate that we might as well start knocking on doors asking 'Are you a serial killer and have you kidnapped Lilly?'" Kat said frustrated.

"Forensic evidence?" John asked.

Kat shook her head. "Nothing," Kat replied. "We got the bullets out of the two police officers and they aren't in the database."

Nothing. They had nothing. Would it still be possible to find Lilly without her in a body bag?

((-))

_I must have fallen asleep because of the shock._ Lilly concluded. "Little Lillian, do you want to end this game now or later?" The man asked circling her.

Lilly noted she was lying on the cold, hard cement. Her hands and feet were bound with a rope. "Wh…what do you mean?" Lilly asked with a dry mouth.

The man laughed. "Do you want to suffer before I kill you? Or do you want to die peacefully?" The man questioned.

How was anyone supposed to answer that? Lilly had no idea, so she decided to remain silent. "Alright…Alright…we'll keep playing…" The man said smiling before leaving the room.

_NO! NO!_ Lilly screamed silently.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Scotty hated being so tired. All he wanted to do was to find Lilly. He didn't want to be stuck in a hospital bed while the others were piece together clues to bring Lilly home. _Then again… _Scotty thought darkly. _You're the reason she's missing… _

With that thought, Scotty fell into a light sleep knowing he would be awakened with nightmares of guilt.

((-))

_Okay, Lil, it's just you and this guy. There probably isn't anyone around that can help, so you're on your own. You've just got to stay calm and your friends will find you. _Lilly thought encouraging herself. _You're bound, so you won't be able to get out of these ropes… Oh, what am I doing? I am going crazy, that's what I'm doing. This is useless! There has to be a way out! _

Lilly's thoughts were interrupted by the man slamming the door as he entered. "Good. You're awake." The man said firmly.

_I've been awake you jerk. _Lilly thought fiercely. Her mother, especially when she was drunk, said that if you didn't have anything nice to say, it was best just to shut up. Lilly never dreamed of taking her mother's advice, but now seemed the perfect time to take it. She remained silent. "What? Don't you have anything you want to say? Come on little Lillian! There must be something you want to say." The man urged with a smile.

It was perhaps very lucky that this man could not read Lilly's thoughts. For if he did, he might have killed her due to the stream of swears that were leaking out into her mind. The man laughed. "Do you really think your friends are going to save you?" The man asked tauntingly.

This was something Lilly could respond to. There was no doubt in her mind about her answer. "Yes." Lilly said firmly.

Once again, the man laughed. "Do you not remember me shooting your boyfriend? What's his name…Scotty? Ah, that does not matter! He is dead. I heard he died on the way to the hospital." The man said with a smile.

For a moment, Lilly sat quietly on the cold, hard floor in shock. Scotty could not have died…it…it just didn't seemed possible. "That's…that's not true." Lilly said shakily.

This response only made the man laugh even harder. "Ah little Lillian! You have so much to learn, yet so little time! By four o'clock this evening, you'll be dead…at last! All my hard work will finally be completed." The man announced with a grin.

Once again, he swiftly left the room.

((-))

Jeffries slammed down a pile of files. Noting the anger in this motion, Nick slowly walked towards Jeffries. "You okay?" Nick asked gently.

"No. This is…crazy. This guy killed what, thirty six girls? Then he went and killed two of our own before shooting Scotty and kidnapping Lilly! Yet, we have no evidence as to who this might be!" Jeffries said frustrated. "He could be killing Lilly right now, and we would be none the wiser!"

Nick sighed. "I know…but, there's got to be something, right?" Nick said softly.

As if on cue, Kat ran into the room. She wore a large smile upon her face and a file in her hand. "We got something!" Kat announced quickly.

Jeffries straightened up. "What?" He demanded.

Hearing the raise of voices, John walked out of his office to see Kat smiling. It must have been the first time anyone smiled since this ordeal started. "This guy is smart and he's a sick bastard, but he was bound to screw up!" Kat said excitedly. "A fingerprint…actually a thumb print to be more exact."

Kat handed Jeffries the file. "Where was it found?" Nick questioned.

"One of the letters," Kat replied.

John nodded in satisfaction. "Do we know who it belongs to?" John asked.

Kat's smile lessened, but it did not go away entirely. "Well, not yet, but the lab tech assured me he'll have an answer ASAP." Kat answered.

John returned the smile before going back to his office.

((-))

Five minutes after the man had left, he returned. "Little Lillian, our fun must truly be cut short. I've grown weary of this game. I just want it to be over with, don't you?" He questioned before awaiting her answer.

Once again, Lilly remained silent. "Lillian! Give me an answer already!" The man shouted suddenly releasing his anger.

He began to kick Lilly hardly before pounding his fist into her face over and over. Words of anger kept repeating themselves as they were thrown at Lilly. He had lost control and for the second time in her life, Lilly wondered if she would see the light of tomorrow.

Before long, Lilly's blood mixed with her tears. She couldn't stop him from killing her. _Could you actually feel the breath leave your small body when you die?_ Lilly wondered as her breathing became shallower. _I'm really going to die…Oh God! Help me! Help me… _

Darkness began to close in on her. _Help me…help me…_

((-))

Jeffries, Kat and Nick were joking around. Finally a break in the case! "I know this bastard is going to be in the system! We're gonna find her." Kat said fiercely.

"'Course we are!" Nick said firmly. "Do you know when that lab tech will have the results?"

Kat shook her head. "We're…" Jeffries began, but stopped when he saw John standing at the doorway of his office with his cell phone in his hand.

"Get the results boss?" Nick asked hopefully.

There was a blank expression on his face. A single tear rolled down from his face. The room fell into silence. "We found her…" John said softly.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Standing there, no one could figure out why John was crying. If they had found Lilly, they should be rejoicing…not crying. "Boss…why are you crying?" Kat asked in an almost childish tone.

John gave out a small choked cry. "Um…twenty minutes ago several police officers found the body of a woman in an alley…She was wearing a badge…It was Lilly's badge…and there was a note attached to her body…" John said struggling to speak.

Nick shook his head. "No boss…it couldn't have been…" Nick said fearfully.

"The alley was the same one Lilly was assaulted in when she was ten." John stated as if that explained everything.

Closing his eyes, Jeffries attempted to comprehend the information he was getting. "How…is…Is she dead?" Jeffries asked trying to find the right words.

John simply gave him one look that said everything. "What…did the note say?" Kat asked.

Taking a piece of paper from his pocket, John glanced over the contents. He had written down the note when the police officer read it to him on the other end. He began to read it out loud.

_To Philly's Finest, _

_An end is finally here. Lillian is my last victim. Mourn her and never forget how she was the only one who managed to get away. Don't ever forget what she represents. She is like a bird rising from the ashes to create a better life. We all have many things that change us, kill us inside… but we must learn how to live with them. Lillian was an amazing person. Never forget her…and never forget me. _

_Sincerely, _

_Mr. Wobbles _

It was then that the others seemed to have reached a breaking point. Kat began to cry while Jeffries attempted not to sob. Nick too had tears in his eyes.

Little Lillian…

((-))

Words. They were so unfamiliar. Could they be English? No…the words sounded blurred and bizarre…surely they couldn't be English. "She's…alive! Crap…hospital…mistake…" The voices shouted back and forth.

As Lilly listened closer, she realized that it was English and she could understand most of the conversation. She groaned. "It's alright miss. You're gonna be fine." A strange voice said from above her.

It seemed so odd. Lilly was so tired she couldn't even open her eyes. She kept fading in and out of the blackness. She had no idea where she was…nor did she ever want to find out she had taken a ride to the hospital in a coroner's van.

((-))

Scotty had been struck with grief when John arrived with Kat, Jeffries and Nick to tell him the news. He felt frustration, anger…but most of all he felt so confused. Lilly had always been outgoing and so…alive. It seemed impossible she could be dead. "Are…are you sure?" Scotty stuttered from his hospital bed.

Nick nodded. "Yes." Nick answered quietly.

She was really gone… his 'little Lillian'… That's when the body-racking sobs came.

((-))

Lilly's head was swimming. She had a massive headache and these people's loud voices weren't helping any. She felt so, so sick. It was not because she kept going into the darkness and out, but because she was in so much pain. She just wanted someone to end the pain.

She barely even felt the needle in her arm before she finally fell into a peaceful sleep.

((-))

A police officer quickly entered Scotty's room. "Lieutenant Stillman?" The young man asked out of breath.

John turned around surprised. "Yes?" John asked.

The police officer sighed. "Please know, this isn't my fault. I found the body and felt for a pulse. I called for back-up and even a paramedic pronounced Lillian Rush dead…" The police officer began quickly. "The coroner picked her up and as they were driving her to the morgue, she began to moan. Immediately, they turned around and went directly to the hospital…"

Everyone held their breath for a minute. "Wait, are you saying Lilly's alive?" Jeffries asked confused.

The police officer nodded. "Yes sir. In fact, she's at this very hospital. The last I heard, she's in surgery." The police officer said swiftly.

John could not believe what he was hearing. "I'll be talking to your lieutenant." John said wearily although he never intended to do such a thing.

That moment seemed too good to be ruined by anything.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Scotty had been released after an hour of being told Lilly was alive. Any normal person would have fled the hospital, but Scotty signed his release papers and then sat in the waiting room with his co-workers. They were very silent, but Scotty knew what they were thinking. They were thinking about how lucky they were.

John's cell phone rang and he answered it immediately. "Stillman," He answered. "Really? That's good…Get back-up and pick him up."

Kat, Jeffries, Nick and Scotty looked at him expectedly. "The fingerprint on the note belongs to Wilbert Patterson. Wilbert apparently got a speeding ticket and was so unhappy about it, he punched a police officer in the face. The charges were eventually dropped due to lack of evidence, but his fingerprints were still in the system from when they booked him." John explained simply. "He murdered those thirty six girls, killed two police officers, shot Scotty and kidnapped Lilly."

Jeffries nodded in satisfaction. "I guess we know where his last address will be." Jeffries said firmly.

"Yeah, the Pennsylvania State Prison." Nick said.

There was another stretch of silence, but this one was welcome. They all needed a moment to gather their thoughts as to how they would kill this man if they ever met him.

((-))

Three hours passed and before anyone knew it, a female doctor was in the waiting room. "The Rush party?" She questioned looking at them.

John stood up swiftly. "Yes?" John answered nervously.

The woman smiled. "Ms. Rush is out of surgery, but she's not out of the woods. She was severely beaten and as you already know, looked as good as dead. The list of injuries are numerous from internal bleeding to broken bones to head injuries… We are very worried about the concussion she sustained because of her loss of consciousness, however, she is awake now." The doctor rattled off.

"May we see her?" Scotty asked quickly.

The doctor smiled. "She is very tired. I'm afraid you can't talk to her much and I'll only allow five minutes for all of you together. Please also speak softly. I'm sure her head hurts enough." The doctor said leading them to a room.

There Lilly was lying on a hospital bed. She looked so bruised and broken. "Lilly?" Scotty asked softly as he approached her.

Her eyes fluttered open. "Scotty?" Lilly asked in confusion. "Am I dead?"

Surprised by her question, Scotty shook his head. "No, why?" Scotty replied.

Lilly gave him a small smile before closing her eyes. "A jerk I know told me when you were shot, you died…" Lilly said trailing off tiredly.

"We got him Lilly." John said gently from afar.

Nick nodded. "You never have to worry about that monster anymore." Nick said.

"He's going away forever." Kat promised.

"Hopefully to burn in h…" Jeffries began.

Nick cleared his throat cutting Jeffries off. "Well, he's not seeing the light of day again." Nick finished lamely.

Lilly gave them a tiny smile before falling asleep again.

((-))

Scotty stayed by Lilly's side all night. He knew that the doctor only said five minutes, but he convinced her he would never say a word to Lilly. He just wanted to be in her presence. He wanted to be the friend he hadn't been and the partner who stayed by his partner's side…

In the middle of the night, Lilly awoke to see Scotty sitting in a hard plastic chair beside her. He looked rather peaceful and Lilly found this calming. "Oh Scotty," Lilly muttered softly to herself.

However, Lilly was not quiet enough. Scotty woke up suddenly. "Hmm…?" Scotty mumbled looking at her.

Lilly smiled tiredly. "Nothing, I was just talking to myself…" Lilly said stifling a yawn.

As tired as Lilly was, she couldn't go to sleep. Looking at Scotty, Lilly could tell it was the same case with him. "Lil, do you blame me?" Scotty asked at last breaking the silence.

Surprised by his question, Lilly closed her eyes. "No. Why would I blame you?" Lilly asked.

Scotty shrugged. "I…I was suppose to be watching you at that safe house, but he kidnapped you and almost killed you… I'm your partner. I should always have your back, but…I wasn't able to help you. I just let him take you." Scotty answered.

Lilly attempted to give him a small laugh, but it ended up being a tiny squeak. "Scotty, all that junk about partners getting each other's backs is just something Hollywood made up. In real life, one partner doesn't automatically solve a case and then gets to save their partner. In real life, a friend has a friend's back. In real life, it's because of the friend that a person is able to get back home safely." Lilly said struggling to make Scotty understand.

"So, I'm not a partner or a friend." Scotty said bitterly.

Sighing, Lilly shook her head. "No, no! You've misunderstood me. You are an amazing partner, but an even better friend which in turn makes you an even better partner and it keeps going. Truly, there isn't any difference between friend and partner. You're both." Lilly said with a smile. "So, no…I don't blame you Scotty. In fact, if you weren't there to alert the others I was missing, no one would have even looked for me. You saved me."

Scotty smiled feeling slightly better. With that, they both fell into a more easy sleep.

((-))

**Two Weeks Later**

Lilly had made her way to her desk. It had been weeks since she last went through her messy drawers. However, she and her desk would be making up for lost time for she was on desk duty for the next few weeks. It bothered Lilly, but it also relived her as well. She hadn't truly been feeling well and chasing a suspect down a street would have been impossible.

As Lilly reached her desk, she found a single file was on the desk. It was her file that she had kept there for years. Lilly did not even have to open it to know its contents. She simply dumped the file into the trash can beside her desk. It was a copy and she was ready to move on from that part of her life.

Slowly, Scotty, Kat, Nick, Jeffries and John all entered with red faces. "It's freezing out there!" Kat exclaimed pulling off her coat.

Lilly looked out the window. "Look, it's snowing!" Lilly observed.

Nick laughed. "Ah, wonderful! The first snow of the season! Great, now I can start shoveling my steps again…" Nick muttered shaking his head.

"What about that kid with the basketball? You could pay him to shovel your steps." Jeffries suggested jokingly.

Everyone was now laughing. _Well, the seasons have changed. _Lilly thought silently. _And so have I… _

Scotty glanced over at Lilly and smiled. Lilly smiled back. _And so have I. _

**The End**

Disclaimer: I do not own Cold Case.

A/N- I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to update this story. I've just been so busy, but alas, we are at the end. I hope you liked this story. If you did, check out my other stories.

Kylie Anderson


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